MadEye Moo Moo
by adamolupin
Summary: Set 3 years before Idle Threats MadEye Moody receives a new nickname from a hyper toddler. Originally this was a one shot, but upon inspiration I made it a two shot. It isn't necessary to read Idle Threats or any of the other Lessons Universe stories.
1. Watcha!

**A/N:**_Hey all! This is a quick little drabble I did yesterday. It's completely un-beta'd so all mistakes and Americanisms are my own. There's a minor shout out to Jurassic Park (the movie). See if you can spot it. :D _

_This is set about 3 years before "Idle Threats" and in the "Lessons" Universe, but I don't think you need to read any of those stories in order to understand this one. I'm pretty sure I've explained sufficiently enough who belongs to who, etc._

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Sirius was the only one brave enough to approach him. Mad-Eye Moody looked down at the three year old toddler with an amused quirk of his eyebrow. Of the other toddlers and children running around the backyard at the Burrow none had dared attempted to come near him. The boy was certainly a Gryffindor and a Potter through and through.

Sirius blinked up at Moody with wide vibrant green eyes he'd inherited from his father and poked Moody's leg with a small index finger. "'Ello," Moody replied, startling Sirius enough from his scrutiny to cause the kid to jump.

"Sirius, don't be rude," Hermione sighed with exasperation, picking up her wayward son. "I'm sorry Moody, he's normally not like this around adults."

Moody nodded. "No harm done." It wasn't as if he had a face that inspired trust in children anyway, not that he minded. He was definitely _not_ a kid person. They were loud, expensive, smelled and prone to unpredictability. To someone who thrived on unpredictability, kids should have been easy, but not when they were also easily influenced and often took orders from adults without any question. No, he did not like kids - too corruptible, too trusting and never vigilant - and kids didn't like him. It was a happy and mutual relationship all around.

Sirius watched Moody intently until Hermione deposited him with his cousins and little sister playing with the gnomes in the garden. Moody was impressed with the toddler's distrust until Sirius caught sight of a gnome Ron Jr. was chasing around and abandoned his Moody-watch to play. Maybe he should have a talking to with Potter and Weasley for that matter.

Moody was content to sit in the shade watching the children run pell-mell around the garden and the adults socialize with easy familiarity and laughter. Someone had to guard the party and he happily took on that role. It didn't matter that Voldemort had been dead and gone for nearly seven years, dark magic never slept. Constant vigilance!

If he hadn't seen Lupin, Tonks, John, and the twins James and Wynter walking up the drive and around to the back of the house with his eye, Moody would've been just as startled as the other adults and even more on alert when Wynter let out a happy shriek. She came barreling into the garden running on her stubby little legs, her long coke bottle green hair trailing behind her. She ran to the kids and flopped onto the ground with them but before they could say hi or barely even acknowledge her presence she was up on her feet again, running around to the adults. Lupin, Tonks and the boys walked more sedately into the group, smiling and greeting everyone. James and John joined the children where they sat poking at a gnome hole.

Wynter, on the other hand, let out another girly squeal and ran toward Moody, her face alight with joy. "MOO MOO!"

All conversation came to a screeching hault and everyone turned toward Moody who actually blushed at both the nick name and the scrutiny. Harry and Tonks had the guts to snicker in the silence while the rest of the adults bit their cheeks or lips, covered their mouths or turned away to hide their laughter. "Watcha Moo Moo!" Wynter held her arms up and jumped up and down, her hair bright pink with from enthusiasm. "Up! Teddy! Up!"

_Pick her up and hug her, _Tonks mouthed and pantomimed.

Wynter was making little begging noises in the back of her throat, trying to crawl up into Moody's lap when he leaned down and picked her up. He held her under her arms, away from him, uncertainty crinkling his face. The last time he'd held her was about a year ago, but she had been dropped into his lap by Tonks and had squirmed away about five seconds later much to Moody's relief. Now she was giggling and squirming, reaching out to him. "Moo Moo! Teddy!" she whined.

"Teddy. What's teddy mean?" Moody growled looking around the squirming three year old to her parents.

"What do you do with teddy bears?" Tonks asked.

Moody's face was blank. "Open 'em up to see if there's contraband inside? Isolate 'em to make sure they aren't portkeys or charmed with dark magic?"

Tonks sighed and rolled her eyes with a grin. "You hug them. She's asking you to hug her, so you'd better do it quick because she looks about ready to let loose a thunderstorm."

Wynter's hair was turning dark pink and shading into black, her face screwing up with frustration and hurt. "Moo Moo! Teddy!" she sobbed.

Moody sighed and sat her on his lap, wrapping his arms awkwardly around her. "Are you happy now?" he growled down to her with more affection than annoyance in his voice.

Wynter clapped her hands, her hair back to bright pink. She reached up and patted Moody's scarred cheek. "Love Moo Moo," she grinned up at him, snuggling into his arms.

Moody sighed, glancing around to see if anyone was watching him. He reached up and ran a tender gnarled hand over Wynter's silky hair, both eyes watching the little girl happily nestled in his arms. A little piece of his heart that he'd always made sure was hardened against distractions thawed just enough to worry him. He couldn't let himself get sidetracked by such thawing. He knew he was going to have to pull away sometime soon, but for now he'd enjoy the new sensation. Just this once, constant vigilance could wait a few minutes . . . a few hours . . . ok, the afternoon, but after that . . . "Love you too, squirt."


	2. Pway!

**A/N:_ "_**_Mad-Eye Moo Moo" was supposed to be only a one-shot, but I thought, "Wynter's not going to stay on Moody's lap forever, she's a pretty active kid especially with her best friends playing near by, but she's not going to want to leave Moody. What's a kid to do?" And thus, the second chapter was born. But this is it, I swear. No more. And thanks to Pips for the quick late night half awake beta._

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Wynter's ability to sit still lasted all of five minutes before she was squirming on Moody's lap as she watched the other kids play. She turned her wide amber eyes that she inherited from her father up at him. "Down, pease."

_At least she has manners_, Moody thought to himself, setting the toddler back on the ground already missing her warmth and comforting weight against his chest. _Must be her father's work, Merlin knew Tonks could probably use some manners_.

"Pway," Wynter said jerking Moody from his thoughts.

"What?"

"Pway," she repeated pointing to the children sitting in sandpit Bill had conjured not moments before.

"No, I don't think so," Moody replied emphatically.

"Moo Moo, pway!" Wynter said stomping her little foot and pouting. "I tell mum!"

Hmm . . . that sounded like something John would say. James wandered up to them, watching Moody with wide curious, yet unafraid eyes. "Moo Moo, pway?" Wynter asked again her lower lip quivering, threatening another bout of waterworks.

"Merlin's bloody beard," Moody sighed, standing. "Fine, fine, I'll play!"

"Yay!" Wynter squealed grabbing her brother's hand and running to the sandpit. They stopped half way and the twins turned in unison to watch Moody limp his way over.

"I'm coming, I'm coming, don't get yer knickers in a twist," he grumbled. "Potter, if you open your mouth, I swear to Merlin I will hex it shut for life," he growled as he passed the younger man whose shoulders were shaking with silent laughter.

"Wouldn't dream of it Mad-Eye," Harry replied innocently.

Moody growled threats and dire warnings under his breath as he sat the edge of the pit with a sigh. He was going to have sand in places he never knew existed, he was sure of it.

Wynter settled into Moody's lap again and made her introductions, pointing to the other children as she went. "Hello," he said to them in his gravelly voice.

They blinked up at him in wide eyed awe tinged with a bit of fear. "Moo Moo pway!" Wynter said, patting his knee and with that the fear was gone and the children returned to what they were doing. Moody watched this dynamic with interest. He knew who was going to be alpha female when she grew up if she wasn't already.

Tonks leaned into Remus's side, wrapping her arm around his thin waist. "I don't think I've ever seen Moody so besotted before," she murmured with a grin up at her husband.

"Wynter does have that effect on men," Remus murmured back, grinning over at the scene. It was an odd sight seeing a grizzled battle scar-ridden ex-Auror sitting in a sandpit surrounded by children ranging in age from Lily who was two to Etienne who was eight, building sandcastles and getting sand in his hair. "Think we can parlay this into getting Moody to baby sit?"

"Not on your life, Lupin!" Moody growled looking up.

Remus's only response was an innocent expression he couldn't quite pull off. "I didn't say a word, Mad-Eye."

"I'm sure you didn't."

"Enjoying the sandpit, Moody?" Harry called out with a wide grin he shared with Ron standing next to him.

"Harry," Hermione muttered, elbowing Harry in his side.

Moody narrowed his eyes into a glare. "Someone has to protect the children since all of you have let your guard down. Constant vigilance!"

Unlike the others except perhaps Harry and Ron, Tonks didn't even bother to hide her grin. "Sure Moody."

"I know where you live, Tonks."

"Good! You can come over Friday night around seven. Wynter and James should be in bed and John goes to bed at seven thirty. We'll be home around eleven. Thanks for volunteering!" Tonks smiled happily.

Moody scowled at her. "Not on your life, Tonks."

"We'll even set up a sandpit," Lupin piped up.

"All right, that's enough teasing Moo Moo," Molly spoke up walking out with a platter full of sandwiches, Arthur behind her with a pitcher of cold pumpkin juice for the children. "Lunch is served inside. These are for the children, Ronald Weasley," she smacked at his wandering hand.

Moody sighed and rolled his eyes to the heavens. What did he do to deserve this? He looked down at the pink hair little girl who stood from his lap and kissed his cheek before toddling off for a sandwich. Oh yeah.

But if he heard any one of them saying he was wrapped around her little finger, he knew a few well placed hexes that would deter them from ever saying that again . . . even if it was the truth.


End file.
